LaCrosse a top competitor

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse offers a stunning exterior, superb interior craftsmanship – and a choice of a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine.

There are critics who contend that General Motors can’t make cars that people want to buy or that can compete with the Japanese Big Three automakers.

But those people haven’t taken a close look at the current Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura or Cadillac CTS, which are among the brightest spots in any carmaker’s current lineup.

And they certainly haven’t checked out the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, the redesigned premium sedan that GM introduced at this year’s Detroit auto show.

This vehicle’s stunning exterior and superb interior craftsmanship prove that GM can build cars with the best of the Japanese and European automakers, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just hopelessly biased against the American auto industry.

The LaCrosse, a full-size sedan, is intended to build on the success of Buick’s large crossover vehicle, the Enclave, GM said.

Among its features when it goes on sale this summer will be available all-wheel drive, a variety of new technological options and a choice of either a four-cylinder or two fuel-efficient V-6 engines.

The basis for the car’s design was the Buick Invicta concept introduced at the 2008 Beijing auto show. Buick is the most popular luxury car in China, and the LaCrosse will be sold both in North America and China.

Originally, the car was to have only the choice of V-6 engines, but GM announced this week that as a sign of the times, it will offer a direct-injected 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine in the LaCrosse, giving the car EPA ratings as high as 20 mpg city/30 highway.

This is the same engine offered in most of the automaker’s midsize sedans, such as the Malibu, Aura and Pontiac G6, as well as the compact Chevy Cobalt sedan and crossovers/wagons such as the Chevrolet HHR and Equinox.

Connected to a six-speed automatic transmission, the four-cylinder engine will make the LaCrosse one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment, GM said. The engine is no slacker — it turns out an impressive 182 horsepower and 172 foot-pounds of torque.

GM said it expects that about one-fourth of LaCrosse buyers will choose the four-cylinder option, which isn’t even offered on some of the car’s direct competitors — including the Lincoln MKZ, Infiniti G37 and Acura TL.

Other LaCrosse options that are “segment exclusives” include a rear-seat entertainment system and remote starting, “contributing to LaCrosse’s balanced package of design, performance and intelligent technology,” GM said.

The four-cylinder engine will be standard on the base LaCrosse CX model. While no price has been announced yet for this model, GM said earlier that the CX with the 3.0-liter V-6 engine would begin at $27,835 (including $750 freight).

Also available will be the midlevel CXL model in both front- and all-wheel-drive versions. The front-drive CXL starts at $30,395 (with freight), and it comes with the 3.0-liter V-6, heated leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lights, outside mirrors with LED turn signals and puddle lamps, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The all-wheel-drive CXL lists for $33,765. It comes with 18-inch wheels and the fully automatic intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

At the top of the line will be the CXS ($33,765), which comes with the uplevel 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 280 horsepower and 259 foot-pounds of torque, and 18-inch chrome wheels. Also unique to the CXS are heated and cooled perforated leather seats, and 19-inch wheels are optional.

The V-6 models also come with a six-speed automatic transmission; no manual is offered.

GM says the new LaCrosse has a sculpted design “instantly recognizable as a Buick, with signature ‘sweep spear’ body-side styling, a waterfall grille and portholes.” Other features include ice blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin from the center console to the instrument panel and door panels.

The automaker says the car offers “a responsive, refined driving experience that is complemented by personal technologies” such as a European-designed chassis and suspension system with real-time damping; high-intensity-discharge adaptive headlights that turn slightly in the same direction the car is turning; a side blind-zone-alert system; and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

Also standard is Buick’s QuietTuning, which GM describes as “an engineering process that reduces, blocks and absorbs interior noise to provide a distraction-free passenger environment.”

Among standard safety features are four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist; electronic stability control with traction control; six air bags, including front seat-mounted side air bags and roof-mounted side-curtain air bags for both rows.

The car seats up to five, with bucket seats up front and a comfortable bench in the rear.

GM will produce the LaCrosse at the Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, Kan.